Who are you?
Laura Basegmezer (pronounced bash-ay-mezer -it’s Turkish!).
Summarise your role.
I work in the emergency planning team. It’s a small and niche part of the trust and not many people know much about what we do…until there's an emergency! While (thankfully) the big incidents are few and far between, the team is kept busy year round. We review plans, ensuring they are in line with the latest national guidance, train and exercise staff, and hold debriefs following emergencies to identify improvements for future responses. So it’s a constant cycle of activity.
What do you find challenging about your role?
As not everyone knows about the intricacies and legalities of what we do, that can be a challenge when we are advocating for buy in to already stretched colleagues.
What do you find rewarding?
Like many roles here at SASH, no two days are the same. One day I'm meeting with service leads to review their business continuity plans, another day I'll be training front line staff in their role during an emergency, and another day I might find myself at Gatwick Airport as a casualty (acting of course!), so the varied nature is a huge plus. I also really value the opportunity I have to be innovative and creative. Our service is all about finding improvements and proactively driving those forwards. Finally, I love working with Alison, our emergency planning manager, as I think we make a great team.
What do you enjoy outside of work?
I love to travel but while we have not been able to do much of that in recent years, my diary is full of any bit of culture I can find nearer to home. I have also recently taken up wild swimming - I highly recommend it!